Ezekiel 30:20-26

Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the LORD came to me:

21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword.

22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.

23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.

24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.

25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.

26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Ezekiel 30:20-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 30

This chapter is a continuation of the prophecy against Egypt, both against the country and the king of it. It is introduced with expressions of lamentation, because of the destruction coming on, Eze 30:1-3, and not only Egypt, and the cities thereof, should be destroyed, but all her friends, associates, and allies; the Ethiopians, Lydians, Lybians, and others, Eze 30:4-9. Nebuchadnezzar and his army were to be the instruments of her ruin, Eze 30:10-12, particular cities are mentioned by name, which should suffer much, and become desolate, Eze 30:13-19 and then Pharaoh king of Egypt himself is threatened with broken arms, and his people to be scattered among the nations, Eze 30:20-23, and the king of Babylon is again mentioned, whose arms should be strengthened to do all this, Eze 30:24-26.

Cross References

• 1. S Ezekiel 26:1; S Ezekiel 29:17; Ezekiel 31:1; Ezekiel 32:1
• 2. S Jeremiah 48:25
• 3. S Jeremiah 44:30
• 4. Jeremiah 30:13; Jeremiah 46:11
• 5. S Genesis 15:18; S Jeremiah 46:25
• 6. Psalms 37:17; Zechariah 11:17
• 7. S Ezekiel 29:12
• 8. Zechariah 10:6,12; Zechariah 12:5
• 9. S Ezekiel 21:14; Zephaniah 2:12
• 10. Jeremiah 51:52
• 11. 1 Chronicles 21:12
• 12. S Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 45:1,5; S Ezekiel 29:19
• 13. S Ezekiel 29:12